Good Reads

The book:HALLOWED BE THE EXTREME by John CummingsThe lowdown: Exuberant semifictional account of a madcap youth spent at Killington and Cape Cod.The kicker: Contains the single greatest sled-ride passage ever written.How to get it: Pearl Street Publishers;hallowedextreme.com; $12

The book: LONG DISTANCE: A YEAR OF LIVING STRENUOUSLY by Bill McKibbenThe lowdown: Celebrated writer goes suddenly nuts for hardcore cross-country skiing.The kicker: Think X-C's boring? Not in McKibben's hands. The guy knows how to write.How to get it: Simon & Schuster;simonsays.com; $23

The book:MIDWEST SKIING: A GLANCE BACK by John Pontti and Kenneth LuostariThe lowdown: Photo-driven history of skiing's Scandinavian-immigrant roots in the upper Midwest.The kicker: Find out why the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame is in Ishpeming.How to get it: Arcadia Publishing; arcadiaimages.com; $19